Government committed to eradicating poverty: President

New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) President Pratibha Patil Sunday said that the government is committed to providing common people opportunities to progress and to eradicating poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy.

“The underlying purpose of our work is to provide to all citizens opportunities of progress and to eradicate poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy,” the president said while addressing the nation on the eve of India’s 65th Independence Day.

She also said that there are a host of special economic packages for the under-developed regions of the nation.

“Welfare schemes create an entitlement for individuals belonging to identified groups. Delivering the benefits to them is our duty and lack of delivery, a failure,” she said.

The president called for support from voluntary agencies and non-governmental organisations and said that transparency is very important in government functions.

“Government efforts need to be supported by voluntary agencies, NGOs and indeed, by citizens themselves, who can be development partners of the government. Implementation needs to be done in a transparent manner and by creating accountability and integrity in functioning,” she said.

The president said that the country has performed well economically with a growth rate of 8.6 percent last year and the government is pursuing an inclusive growth agenda.

Stressing that growing gross domestic product (GDP) along with the welfare of the people are the twin pillars of a progressive nation, the president said that anti-poverty programmes, social welfare schemes and a commitment to ensure food security form the core of the government’s inclusive growth agenda.